Raw apple cider vinegar with the mother

Choosing apple cider vinegar with the mother

Apple cider vinegar with the mother is left unfiltered, so it keeps the cloudy strands that form naturally during fermentation. That gives it a rounder, fruitier taste than clear vinegar. Two producers make the vinegars here: Big Nose and Beardy in Sussex, and Loving Foods. Each was checked for where its ingredients come from and how it makes its products before joining Ziracle. Use it in dressings, pickles, marinades and slaws. A simple dressing of one part vinegar to three parts oil, with a little mustard and honey or maple syrup, takes a minute to shake up.

Raw apple cider vinegar from Sussex

Big Nose and Beardy makes its premium raw apple cider vinegar using Sussex apples that would otherwise go to waste, picked from private gardens and orchards with the help of volunteers. Some batches ferment wild, then mature for at least a year as cider before they turn to vinegar. Loving Foods makes a raw, unfiltered and unpasteurised apple cider vinegar with the mother. A mild vinegar suits salads, while a deeper, aged one stands up to rich dishes.

Shrubs, apple juice and oil pourers

Big Nose and Beardy also makes a shrub, a non-alcoholic aperitivo built on apple cider vinegar matured for eight years, with hedgerow bitters and lemon. Mix it with sparkling water and ice for an alcohol-free drink before dinner. It also makes Sussex apple juice from apples too small or odd-shaped for the shops. Habulous makes a glazed stoneware oil pourer, handmade in Britain from British clay, and a spare stainless steel nozzle.

Storing apple cider vinegar with the mother

Store bottles in a cool cupboard with the lid on tight. The mother may grow or settle over time, which is normal, so shake gently before use. Vinegar keeps for a long time, but check the date on the bottle. A bottle of Sussex vinegar and a shrub make a good Christmas present for a keen cook. Fermented Foods has kimchi and sauerkraut, Low & No Alcohol has more alcohol-free drinks, Spices & Seasonings has dressing ingredients, and Organic kimchi and fermented foods: A gut-health buying guide covers fermentation.